The Best New Years Gift Ever!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Happy new year’s eve! And can you think of a more celebratory thing than to have your new novel be published on New Year’s Day? Talk about fireworks and champagne! 

 AND it is now Amazon’s NUMBER ONE NEW RELEASE in mystery/romance. Happy New Year!

 So raise a glass with us, Reds and readers, to the amazing Stacy Wise. Who got inspiration from—a trampoline? And no, it’s not about ups and downs, or bouncing back, or whatever tramoliney things you can come up with. 

(And wait til you see what Stacy did before she started writing. Ooh. We’ll have lots of questions for you, Stacy!)

 And wow—congratulations! 

 Thinking about Thinking

   by Stacy Wise 

 Today I dismantled a fifteen-foot beast of a trampoline. Several hot summers in my yard had shriveled the padding around the edges, leaving exposed foam and stringy fibers in their wake. 

And the final blow came a few weeks ago when the plastic caps holding the protective netting in place cracked, causing it to droop like saggy pants after the elastic has snapped. The thing was officially a goner.

 On that sad day, I printed out a bold, yellow and black “No Entry” sign, and strapped it to the entrance with Minion duct tape. Safety first and all. 

After searching for parts online, I discovered it would cost about the same to replace the whole thing as it would to buy pieces and parts, half of which weren’t in stock. 

But alas, the trampoline remained in the yard, a sorry reminder of former fun times with my now weather-worn sign looking all the worse next to those grinning Minions. The thing might’ve stayed there for months.

 I was getting pretty good at pretending not to see it when I walked outside. 

‘What does all of this have to do with writing?’ you might ask. I’ll share a secret with you: Most great ideas flit into my mind when I’m doing something mundane, like manual labor. 

 And even though I absolutely did not want to go outside and touch the trampoline that was now draped in sticky cobwebs created by even creepier, potentially hungry spiders, I marched outside, armed with a socket wrench, a Philips screwdriver, and a hammer. (I sound so handy, don’t I? I have my dad to thank for that.) 

 I soon discovered that in addition to the spiders, there was a fair amount of rust that flecked dusty red grit onto my hands and shirt, which added to my overall discomfort. Sparkling clean hands are a way of life for me. 

But all the while, as I was cranking the socket wrench and avoiding spider-attacks, I let my subconscious wander to that mysterious place that bubbles with ideas. Like random shower thoughts that I hang onto. 

 And those random thoughts are born from tidbits from my day that puzzle or intrigue me. 

 In the case of Lie, Lie Again, the story idea started to brew after an encounter with a woman I didn’t know. We were sitting around a table for a meeting, and as I was attempting to explain my point, the woman exploded, chopping the air with her hand as she reprimanded me. The uproar stunned me. 

I’m a non-confrontational kind of person—more of a quiet, Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday junkie, and I probably trust dogs more than people. So as this irate woman was hammering away at me, I retreated inside myself and wondered why she was so angry. 

 I left the meeting convinced she must be a terrible, unhappy person. And then I started to wonder if something bad had happened right before the meeting. 

Maybe she had just left a sick pet at the vet, or perhaps she’d been in a fender-bender that had left her rattled? 

A friend said, “Maybe she’s just a jerk.”

 Ah . . . That was the idea that stuck. Maybe she’s just a jerk.

 So I started to think about people and actions and their motivations. Why do some people feel justified in doing something that others may consider wrong? Even ruthless. (Because by now, I’d set the meeting incident aside, and I was thinking big.) 

I began wondering about really bad behavior and how a person’s history could foster their future actions. 

 I didn’t have a trampoline to dismantle when I started Lie, Lie Again, but I ran on the treadmill to get my ideas percolating. I ran like a devil was chasing me. I let my mind wander, and Sylvia’s story came to life. 

 Her character began to crystalize in my mind—she was a manipulative woman with a dark past and a deep desire to become a mother. Her manipulation was justified in her mind, because she was simply protecting her own interests. In writing her, I knew she would strike an uncomfortable chord with some readers, and others, as my critique partner said, would find her “deliciously evil.” 

As the story bloomed in my mind, two more characters, Embry and Riki, came to life, both of whom had their own agendas and paths to self-discovery. In essence, Lie, Lie Again is a book about friendships, relationships, and all the hidden secrets that lie beneath the surface. As someone once said to me, “despite your delusions, you have no idea what goes on behind closed doors.” 

I took the liberty of tugging those doors open in Lie, Lie Again, and I hope you enjoy what you see! 

HANK: OOh. I know some people like that. So, reds and readers, what's the most surprising place or activity that makes you think? (And ooh...as I said, look at Stacy's bio. Anyone have any questions?  I bet she has stories!)

 

Stacy Wise is the award-winning author of the novels Beyond the Stars and Maybe Someone Like You. Her next book, Lie, Lie Again will be released on 1/1/21. 

Prior to her writing career, Stacy worked in television casting on shows including The X Files, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and Party of Five. 

After a decade in the industry, she returned to school and received her teaching credential and masters from Chapman University. She has taught both kindergarten and third grade. 

A native of California and graduate of UCLA, she lives with her family and three fluffy dogs in Los Angeles. 

 Stop by her website, stacywise.com, or visit her on Instagram @stacywise_author 

 

LIE LIE AGAIN 

 All three women who live at 1054 Mockingbird Lane have secrets…and with a body at the bottom of their apartment building’s staircase, those secrets need to stay buried. 

Sylvia Webb has a plan. And a potential Mr. Right. He’s sweet, simple, and dependably clueless about what she’s up to. The only thing unpredictable about him is his needy ex-girlfriend, who is this close to shattering Sylvia’s dreams. But Sylvia’s not going to let that happen. 

Riki McFarlan has a good career and an amazing boyfriend who wants to settle down. If only she didn’t have feelings for her neighbor—who happens to be her close friend’s husband. With everything going so right, why is Riki flirting with something so wrong, so…dangerous? 

Embry Taylor is as devoted to her children as she is to her husband, who’s a bartender by night, an aspiring actor by day. She is his biggest fan. But with his career not taking off and tensions high, even sweet Embry has something she’s desperate to keep hidden. 

Lies, secrets, and revenge. For three neighbors with stakes so high, someone is headed for a downfall.